Presenting yourself--your skills and qualifications--in a professional, organized, and convincing manner is key to securing the organizational positions you desire.The goal of this assignment is to begin working on these skills.This assignment will provide you with a low-risk situation for presenting yourself to the class.It will also provide you with an opportunity to receive feedback from your instructor, so you can understand what he or she considers important and how he or she will grade your presentations.
You will select a position to “apply” for by either 1) finding an appropriate advertisement or 2) creating a job description for your ideal position.Your audience (classmates) will be the members of the organization who will interview you for the position.Using the qualifications described in the ad/description, you will plan a 3 to 5 minute presentation designed to explain why you are a qualified, ideal candidate for the position.You will complete the following steps:
_Select a position advertisement or prepare a job description (see instructions below).
_Plan the presentation, including an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.The presentation should focus on establishing that your skills and qualifications fit the desired position.
_Practice your presentation and deliver it to the class on the assigned day.
Note:Chapters 8 and 9 of your text provide information on employment interviews that may help you complete this assignment.
Your Responsibilities
1.Prior to your presentation, submit your position advertisement or job description to your instructor.If you decide to write your own job description, include a brief description of the organization, the title and nature of the position, and the skills and qualifications required. For example, if you would love to work for the Walt Disney Company, you might create a job description (about a paragraph) for an entry-level position in their Imagineering Division (ride and theme park design) which stresses the need for 1) an architecture, engineering, or art degree, 2) strong interpersonal skills, and 3) computer literacy. Please Note: You must be “qualified” for the job—or, you must have those qualifications within one year. (For example, if the position requires an accounting degree, you must be graduating within a year…) If you have questions, please consult with your instructor.
Prepare
your presentation, ensuring that you include an introduction, body, and
conclusion, as follows:
Introduction:
Keep your introduction brief. You should accomplish the following goals:
_Gain the attention of your audience
_Introduce yourself
_Preview your main points (claims that constitute the reasons you’re the best candidate for the position)
Body:
The body of the speech should include how your skills and qualifications match the job description and how you can contribute to the business. This is where you PROVE to the audience that you are THE person for the job.In doing so, you’ll make claims about why you should be hired and support these claims with examples from your education and experience. Focus on TWO or THREE reasons (claims) the company should hire you and support these reasons with 2-3 examples. These examples may include any of the following ideas:
_Educational background
_Career-related experiences and past employment
_Assets that set you apart from other people (i.e., computer or interpersonal skills)
Conclusion:
Your conclusion should be brief, but your presentation MUST have one. In the conclusion, you should include the following:
_A review of why you are the best candidate
_A memorable closing statement
3. You have a total of 3 to 5 minutes to make this presentation. Presentations that exceed or fall short of the 3 to 5 minute interval will be penalized.If a speech is shorter than three minutes, one point will be deducted for each 15 second interval.For example, a speech that is 1-14 seconds short, would lose 1 point; a speech that is 15-29 seconds short, would lose two points, etc.Please, time your speech when you practice to prevent deductions.
4. Limit your notes to your instructor’s requirements. Include only KEY WORDS to prompt your thinking on notes.Do not write out whole sections (or the entire presentation) on your notes.If you choose to ignore this advice, expect to be penalized 5 points.
5. You should dress the part.If you’re applying to be a Wall Street trader, your instructor won’t expect you to purchase a suit, but please do your best to be convincing.If you’re applying to manage a sportswear store, on the other hand, you can dress more casually.
6. Your delivery should include professional language, and a smooth voice free from fillers (um, ah, oh, etc.). You should make meaningful eye contact and engage your audience. You are talking about yourself and ideal job, this should be an exciting topic to present and hear about!
_A copy of your advertisement/job description
_Instructor’s Evaluation for Presenting Yourself
_Presentation notes (place these in the folder following your presentation)
|
Points Possible |
Presentation |
25 |
|
|
Self-Assessment |
5 |
|
Total
Points Possible |
|
30 |
After giving your presentation, complete the Self-Assessment (see form in this packet for instructions).Please consult the tentative course schedule in your syllabus for the due date.